


Funny Thing Is, The

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Angst, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-09-22
Updated: 2000-09-22
Packaged: 2019-05-15 01:29:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 6,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14781059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: There is an end to Jed and Abbey's nightmare





	1. Funny Thing Is, The

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

The Funny Thing Is 

by: Rhiannon & AJ

***Okay, here it is! This is the third and final part of this little trilogy that began with Never Enough. Thanks to everyone that has hung in with us! Your feedback has made this a WONDERFUL writing journey for us! This story picks up where Letting Go left off...***

 

Abbey shot straight up in bed... Her heart beating loudly in her ears, she fought to control her breath. She closed her eyes and waited until her breathing returned to a normal rhythm. Then a thought flew into her head, she turned quickly to the man sleeping next to her.

She breathed a sigh of relief... There, sleeping with a furried look on his brow was her husband...

Jed.

All at once the bubbling well of emotions within her got the best of her. She reached around and grabbed her pillow. Without thinking, she began to rain down blows on her husband.

Jed jumped at the startling impact as he was jostled out of his own nightmare. He scurried around the bed, trying to escape his wife's pillow, "Abbey!"

Abbey paid no attention to him, "You cheated on me! You cheated on me!"

"Abbey, stop!" Jed yelled. When Abbey continued to come at him with a swinging pillow, Jed finally grabbed one of his own. He landed a solid hit on the top of her head, "Yeah, well... You were going to marry Leo!"

Abbey took another swing, "Well, you cheated on me with a blond bimbo."

"You were making out with Leo!" Jed retorted, firing right back at her.

"Yeah... well... you were..." Abbey began. All of a sudden, she lost her balance and began to fall from the bed, "Jed!"

Jed reached out and grabbed Abbey's arm, pulling her to safety... falling backwards on the bed. Abbey landed right on top of him. They lay like that for a long time, each catching their breath... each rationalizing the dream they had just had.

Finally Abbey look in her husband's eye, "I had a dream, Jed... You cheated on me... and we lost each other..."

Jed brushed his wife's dark hair out of her eyes, "I dreamed that I lost you... that I lost myself... because I-"

"Because you cheated on me?"

"Yeah..." Jed trailed off. After a moment he spoke again, "I'm going to call in... and you are too... We're going to talk about this... It scares me Abbey."

Abbey nodded, "Me too... Me too, Jed."

Jed nodded as he held his wife close to him.

TBC...

  

  


	2. Funny Thing Is, The 2

The Funny Thing Is 

by: Rhiannon & AJ

 

The truly disturbed couple did just as they said. They both called in sick, and they spent the entire day talking about their dreams... or rather, their nightmares. Abbey told Jed all about how she found the pictures, and then there was the love letters... Jed told Abbey about Jenn's wedding to Toby... Her engagement to Leo...

For hours, the two tried to rationalize their dreams. They had both dreamt that Jed was unfaithful, and the funny thing is, that they both dreamt it was with the same woman.

Finally having enough of a headache from trying to figure it all out, Jed walked over to the stereo, and moments later, returned to Abbey, with a slow, sweet melody drifting through the speakers.

>   
>  Sayin' I love you  
>  Is not the words  
>  I want to hear from you  
> 

Jed and Abbey were both finding that they could not say enough of how much they loved the other, not after the dreams they both had. But would it be enough to just say it? Or should they show how much in love they are with each other?

>  
> 
> It's not that I want you  
>  Not to say it,  
>  But if you only knew  
> 

Jed re-crossed the room, after turning the radio on. He went over to his wife, brought her body close, into hers, and let their bodies drift slowly together.

>   
>  How easy it would be  
>  To show me how you feel  
>  More than words  
>  Is all you have to do  
> 

Without any words, Jed began to lead his beautiful wife over to the bed, where he slowly let his lips begin to take over for him. They didn't resort to telling her how much he loved her, instead, they showed her.

>   
>  To make it real  
>  Then you wouldn't have to say  
>  That you love me  
>  Cause I'd already know  
> 

Helping her up onto the bed, the hold their lips had of each other, never broke. If anything, it only grew with intensity as each second passed by. This was make-up time. Of course, neither of them had anything to make-up for, but their dreams had scared the crap out of both of them so much, it was pretty much a needed thing.

>   
>  What would you do  
>  If my heart was torn in two  
> 

Through their dreams... nightmares... they had gotten the answer to this question. The answer was what could have been expected of any relationship... but they aren't just any relationship. They are the First Couple. They are one of the most in-love couple's the country had to offer.

>   
>  More than words  
>  To show you feel  
>  That your love for me is real  
>  What would you say  
>  If I took those words away  
>  Then you couldn't make things new  
>  Just by sayin' I love you
> 
> More than words  
> 

Jed was always one who preferred to show his true feelings, instead of trying to put them to words... especially when they had to do with how much in-love he is, with his wife. He probably wouldn't even be able to put that into words, if he tried... no one could. The love shared between Abbey and Jed is just way too strong a thing.

>   
>  Now that I've tried to  
>  Talk to you and make you understand  
>  All you have to do  
>  Is close your eyes  
>  And just reach out your hands  
>  And touch me  
> 

Abbey closed her eyes, and reached her hands out to Jed. Jed took a hold of one of her arms, and left a trail of kisses all the way down it, until eventually, he found her lips. There he lingered for a good few minutes, before pulling slightly away.

>   
>  Hold me close  
>  Don't ever let me go  
> 

Abbey felt her husband pulling away, and so she held him closer into her. She didn't ever want to let him go. She didn't want for him to let her go. Not in a million years.

>   
>  More than words  
>  Is all I ever needed you to show  
>  Then you wouldn't have to say  
>  That you love me  
>  Cause I'd already know
> 
>  

Jed has spent an entire life time telling Abbey that he loves her, and he will undoubtedly spend an eternity showing her... especially after they both had similar dreams, in which Jed was unfaithful. Yeah, it was only a dream, but aren't dreams supposed to be a window into reality?

>   
>  What would you do  
>  If my heart was torn in two  
>  More than words  
>  To show you feel  
>  That your love for me is real
> 
>  

A love couldn't be any more real than that of Abbey and Jed. 32 wonderful years they have shared. Three terrific daughters they have managed to raise. Two amazing grandchildren they have been blessed with. And through all of this, neither of them ever even had an unpure thought. Their love is definitely for real.

>  
> 
> What would you say  
>  If I took those words away  
>  Then you couldn't make things new  
>  Just by saying I love you
> 
> More than words...
> 
>  

More than words...

As his hand began to drift down Abbey, he found it unbuttoning her shirt, while at the same time, she was practically ripping his off of him.

"Abbey..." He whispered as he pulled his lips from hers, momentarily.

"Jed..." She whispered back, as she brought his head down, to meet with her lips once again.

TBC...

  


	3. Funny Thing Is, The 3

The Funny Thing Is 

by: Rhiannon & AJ

 

Hours later, Jed and Abbey lay perfectly still. Wrapped in each other's arms, nothing else in the world had any importance at all. Both were content to forget about everything and everybody else... if just for a little while.

Jed moved his hand and began running his hand through her hair. They remained perfectly quiet for a long time. Finally, Jed broke the silence, "Abbey?"

"Hmm?"

"Will you marry me?"

Abbey blinked and then looked up at him, "I think I hit you harder than I thought."

"I mean it Abbey, will you marry me?" Jed repeated the question.

"Umm... baby," Abbey said. "We're already married."

"I know that Abigail," Jed replied. "Marry me again."

Abbey smiled up at him, "Okay... name the time and place, Jed Bartlet ... and I'll be there."

"That sounded vaguely familiar to me," Jed remarked.

"It should," Abbey retorted.

Jed laughed, "I love you, you know that?"

"I have doubted many things in my life, Jed... But that has never, ever been one of them." Abbey replied, kissing him softly.

It was at that moment that a thought occurred to Jed, "Damn..."

"What?"

"Damn, damn, damn..."

"What?" Abbey asked again.

Jed looked at her, "What day is today?"

"Wednesday, why-" Abbey stopped short, remembering what her husband already had. "Damn."

"Come on, let's go." Jed groaned as they rose from bed.

"Jed, it took us forever to schedule this meeting!" Abbey exclaimed.

"Yes, I know this." Jed responded. "Hurry up, or it'll take us an eternity to reschedule it!"

TBC...

  


	4. Funny Thing Is, The 4

The Funny Thing Is 

by: Rhiannon & AJ

 

Hurrying through the halls of the West Wing, towards the Roosevelt room, Jed and Abbey thanked God that neither of their secretaries canceled this meeting yet.

"Come on, we don't want to be late." Jed's voice was in just as much a hurry as he was.

"If we are, it's your fault. And next time you have to compromise your schedule to fit it into mine." Abbey's words were just as rushed.

"Okay, we're here." Jed proclaimed as he slowed down to catch his breath. "Ready?"

"Yeah... wait..." Abbey reached a hand up to Jed's lips. "You had a little lipstick on you. Now we are ready." She said as he moved his hand down to the door and opened it.

"After you." Jed smiled.

Abbey didn't respond, she just smiled back at him, as she took her seat.

"Sorry we were late, everyone. Let's get this meeting started."

"Yes, sir." The man across the table from Jed spoke up. "First, I don't believe you have met my assistant. Meredith Baxter," The senator pointed to the beautiful blonde-haired, blue-eyed, tall, skinny woman sitting to his left.

Before the senator could continue the introduction, Abbey turned to Jed and smacked him upside the arm. "UN UNH!!!! No way, Abbey." Jed said in his defense. "Not even!" Jed insisted.

"Is there something wrong?" The senator asked the POTUS and FLOTUS who were carefully eyeing each other.

With sheepish grins on their faces, they turned to face the senator, "Nothing!" They proclaimed at the same time as they motioned for the meeting to continue.

The meeting lasted for hours. And all throughout it, Abbey kept a very careful eye on her husband, and the woman sitting across the table from her. Nothing appeared to be out of the normal. Except for the fact that this person looked exactly like the woman in both of their dreams... and there was always the name thing.

When the meeting finally came to an end, both Jed and Abbey had yet to get up. They were paralyzed in the freakish irony of the real existence of Meredith Baxter.

"You promise me that you never met her before just now?"

"Yes, Abbey, I promise. I am just as perplexed by this as you are." Jed repeated himself for, at least, the tenth time.

"You promise?"

"Yes, I do."

"You are positive that you have never seen her before?"

"I've never seen anyone else before. I've been too busy seeing you." Jed leaned in to kiss her, but Abbey pushed him away slightly.

With a look in her eye asking, 'you promise,' she leaned over and kissed him.

TBC...


	5. Funny Thing Is, The 5

The Funny Thing Is 

by: Rhiannon & AJ

 

Jed put his hand up to Abbey's cheek, "I promise you, Abigail... I've never laid eyes on this woman until today."

Abbey nodded, looking deep within his eyes, "Okay... it just scared me a little... seeing her sitting across the table from us... after that dream..."

Jed rubbed her cheek with his thumb, "I know... and it freaked me out too. I don't get it; It's weird beyond belief... but they were just dreams and that's all."

Abbey smiled at him, "Did I hurt your arm?"

Jed grimaced, "Yes, now that you mention it, you did." He replied, rubbing the place where she had slapped him with great show.

"Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?" Abbey asked, leaning further into him.

"Well, yes... as a matter of fact-"

"Excuse me, Mr. President." Josh said charging into the room. As soon as he saw he had interrupted something he froze, "Oops, sorry, sir... Mrs. Bartlet."

"Josh," Jed said, not looking away from Abbey.

"Yes, sir?"

"You're fired."

"Okay, sir." Josh replied, backing out of the room.

"Josh, stop where you are." Abbey called out. She waited until Josh walked back into the room, "Jed..."

"Oh, all right." Jed made a great show of conceding to his wife's will. "You're rehired Josh."

"Thank you, sir." Josh replied with a small grin.

"Don't thank me, thank my wife." Jed told him.

"Thank you, Mrs. Bartlet." Josh said with a big grin.

"You're welcome Josh," Abbey grinned back at him. "Now get lost, before I change my mind."

"Yes, ma'am." Josh replied, hurrying out the door.

Jed turned to Abbey, "I gotta go to work."

"I know... me too."

"I'll see you later... we can discuss possible ways for you to make up for hurting my arm." Jed said.

"Okay, we'll do that." 

~~~ 

Hours later, Abbey walked through the Oval Office doors.

When she looked over at her husband's desk, she froze instantly.

There, he sat at his desk... Nothing unusual about that.

What was unusual was the tall blond woman leaning so far over his desk, Abbey was quite sure he could see down her shirt. That woman was practically sitting on the desk... And there sat Jed, in his chair, trying frantically to back away from her.

Abbey's eyebrows hit the ceiling, "Excuse me?" She asked in a tone of voice that was pure ice.

Upon hearing her voice, both turned and looked to the doorway.

TBC...

  


	6. Funny Thing Is, The 6

The Funny Thing Is 

by: Rhiannon & AJ

 

Almost immediately after looking up to see his wife, did Jed's chair swing backwards, landing him smack dab on the floor.

"Jed!" Abbey proclaimed as she watched, and tried to stifle a laugh.

"Here, let me help you." Meredith said as she bent over and handed the President a hand.

"No, no, no. That's quite alright. I can get up myself. Thank you anyway." Jed backed her off with a hand as he used the other to help him stand up. Once in a fully upright position, Jed looked over at his wife, his eyes screaming that nothing happened. "Abbey..." Jed took note of his wife verbally.

"Jed." Abbey's voice was somewhere in between the icy coldness it recently occupied, and the obsessive need to laugh.

"Hello again, ma'am." Meredith said as she walked over to Abbey.

"Don't you hello me. What the hell do you think you were doing? I mean, the way you were leaning over him like that..." Abbey was furious with the slu... woman before her. "Are you just stupid, or could you really not tell that he was trying to push you away?" Abbey said, as Jed silently moved behind his wife.

"I'll have you know, that I am a very smart person." Meredith said.

"You sure the hell could have fooled me." Abbey sounded back. "What the hell would possess you to come on to a married man like that?! The President!? My husband?!"

"My, my, aren't we a bit insecure. If you had such a strong relationship with him, this wouldn't be bothering you so much." Meredith gave off a content little smirk.

Abbey had every intention of physically attacking Meredith right there and then, but two strong arms around her waist prevented her from doing so. "I think it best that you leave right now!" Abbey made every attempt to get her voice to return to a normal decibel, but she couldn't have failed any worse.

"Whatever!" Meredith blew Abbey off as she grabbed her purse and walked out of the Oval Office.

With the number of people occupying the room decreasing by one, Abbey turned around in her husband's arms. Slapping him across the chest, she asked, "Why the hell did you restrain me?"

"Because I know what you would have done, had I not." Jed reasoned with his fuming wife. "I just want you to know... I want to make sure you are absolutely crystal clear on this... I really was trying to push her away from me. I even told her to back up quite a few times."

"I trust you, Jed. It's just that woman that I don't trust. Promise me you will never be in a room with her again." Abbey requested.

"That is one promise I am very happy to make. Now, I believe you were to come in here and try to make up for slapping me earlier... now you have to make up for slapping me now, too."

Abbey leaned further into her husband's arms, and placed a kiss on his chest. "I'm sorry. I just... What if I told you I figured out a perfect date for us to renew our vows?"

"Well, that's not exactly what I had in mind with you making it up to me," Jed raised a brow. "But that will do."

Rolling her eyes at her husband, she said, "I know it's kind of short notice, but what about one week from tomorrow?"

"It couldn't come sooner for me if it tried to run." Jed squeezed his wife in his arms. "Hey, I have an idea... what if we were to have it in the rose garden?"

"I love it, just as much as I love you."

"Well, I am just gonna have to try something to get you to love me more." Jed raised his brows again, as he moved in to kiss his wife.

TBC...

  


	7. Funny Thing Is, The 7

The Funny Thing Is 

by: Rhiannon & AJ

 

A week later, Abbey stood in her bedroom with her children. She smiled as she watched as Elizabeth played with Chase and Matthew and as Jennifer and Zoey stood off to the side, deep into an animated conversation.

She knew how lucky she was... she had five, beautiful, healthy, happy children. She had fought for this family... and she knew that every battle and every skirmish had been worth it.

Abbey shook her head as she stepped back into the bathroom.

"Hey Mom," a voice called from the bedroom.

"What Jennifer?" Abbey replied.

"I heard that you tried to jump some blond chick in Dad's office..." Jennifer replied, winking at her sister.

"Where did you hear that?"

"I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that it may incinerate me," Jennifer responded walking to the door of the bathroom with her sisters in tow.

"Cute, Jennifer Erin, very cute." Abbey looked over at her daughter.

"So?"

"So, what?"

"So... what happened?" Jennifer questioned.

"Did you know that your Dad fell out of his chair?" Abbey responded, trying to change the subject.

"No, I didn't. However I will file that information away for blackmail purposes later," Jennifer said. "And don't change the subject."

Abbey looked at her daughters, "You aren't going to leave me be until I explain this to you... are you?"

The girls looked at each other and, in perfect unison, replied, "Nope!"

"Fine, that woman was sitting on your dad's desk..." Abbey began.

"What was she doing on Dad's desk?" Elizabeth asked.

"She was hitting on him," Abbey replied.

Three jaws dropped... None of them could quite believe that someone would hit on their dad... especially in the Oval Office.

"Are you serious?" Zoey asked.

"Yes, I'm serious." Abbey replied.

"I hope you kicked her ass." Jennifer exclaimed.

"Jennifer Erin!" Abbey said.

"Yeah, I know, watch my language." Jennifer muttered.

It was at that moment that a little voice caught their attention, "Mommy, Mommy!"

"What Chase?" Abbey responded, walking past her daughters. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw her twin boys.

Chase was standing over her dress, crayons in hand, "I colowered your dess, Mommy."

From behind Abbey heard Jennifer mutter, "Rembrant strikes again."

Abbey's dress was a colored mess of crayon drawings. She turned to her daughters and glared at them.

Jennifer bit her lip, trying vainly to keep from laughing. Zoey grabbed hold of Jennifer's arm, trying to keep from laughing herself. Elizabeth covered her face, determined to keep her mirth to herself.

"This is not funny, girls!" Abbey glared at them. "Look at my dress!"

"We are!" Jennifer responded loudly. She leaned backwards and whispered, "And it is kinda funny."

The other two girls snorted, fighting not to laugh in front of their mother. Elizabeth smacked Jennifer on the arm.

"Stop laughing!"

"We're not!" Jennifer exclaimed. She waited a moment, "Okay, well maybe we are!"

With that the three girls collapsed in laughter. Abbey stood over her daughters, "If any of you would like to see next Christmas..." 

~~~ 

Moments later, Jennifer was hurrying down the hallway with her baby brothers in tow. She skidded to a halt in front of the room where she knew the men would be. She knocked on the door and slowly opened it, "Can I come in?"

"Would it matter if I said, no?" came her father's voice.

"No."

"Then you can come in," Jed replied. He was immediately attacked by his sons. "What's up?"

Jennifer choked back a laugh, "I brought them down here... I thought you might want them to live to see tomorrow."

"Uh-oh, what did Hurricane Chase do this time?" Leo asked, standing beside his best friend.

"Well... let's just say that Chase decided to do some painting..." Jennifer responded. "But... um... Mom didn't seem to appreciate it very much."

TBC...

  


	8. Funny Thing Is, The 8

The Funny Thing Is 

by: Rhiannon & AJ

 

"What, pray tell, did he use as a canvas?" Jed asked, as he closed his eyes and placed a hand on his best friend's shoulder.

Placing a hand over her mouth, Jennifer tried to cover up her laughter. "Mom's dress." Jed immediately banged his head down against Leo's shoulder.

"Tell me you are making this up. Please, tell me this is one of your cruel practical jokes, Jennifer." Jed pleaded with his daughter.

"I could, but I'd be lying. I know how you hate it when I lie to you, Dad."

"Where is your mother right now?" Jed grumbled.

"She's in the bathroom, with Elizabeth, trying to get the marks out of her dress."

"Okay, you stay here with the boys, I'm gonna go find her." Jed picked his head up, off of Leo's shoulder.

"No you aren't." Jennifer said sternly. "You aren't allowed to see the bride before the wedding."

"Jennifer, we are already married, so that doesn't ring true now."

"Yes, it does."

"No, it doesn't."

"Yes, it does."

"No, it doesn't."

"Yes, it does, Dad. Leo, doesn't it still come into play?"

"How about if I go and check on Abbey?" Leo responded, trying to get out of the middle of this downhill battle.

"No! You aren't going anywhere, Leo." Jed shouted. After a short pause, he continued, "Fine, Jennifer. You win. Leave the boys here, and then go back and help your mother."

"Okay." Jenn smiled as she kissed her Dad on the cheek. "But if I were you, I'd keep an eye on Chase. He may have some crayons stashed away somewhere." 

~~~ 

With the short window of time that they had opened to them, they abandoned the idea of attempting to wash the color stains out of the dress, and instead, focused their energy in trying to find a replacement.

"What about this one, Mom?" Zoey held up a very pretty light blue dress.

"No, I just wore that one two months ago." Abbey sighed as she continued her search.

"And this one?" Elizabeth held a dress up, with a very simple, yet elegant floral design on it.

"No, it's too big on me."

"My turn." Jennifer proclaimed as she picked out a very ugly dress in an awful shade of pink. "What about this one?" She smirked as she held it out.

"Jennifer Erin! If that's how serious you are taking this, you might as well go hang out with Chase."

"Jeez, it was just a joke, Mom. You gotta learn to lighten up."

"Not on my wedding day, I don't. Now, I found something that I can wear, you can all go now."

"You aren't going to show us which one?" Zoey asked.

"No, I'm not." Abbey smiled. "Now go tell your father that I will be ready in ten minutes."

"Okay." The three girls said in unison, as they all fled from the closet.

TBC...

  


	9. Funny Thing Is, The 9

The Funny Thing Is 

by: Rhiannon & AJ

 

True to her word, Abbey was standing at the entrance to the Rose Garden ten minutes later. She stood there in the momentary quiet, trying calm her nerves.

'You're being silly,' she told herself. 'It's not like we haven't done this before.'

Leo walked over to her and placed a hand on her arm, "Are you ready?"

Abbey looked up at him and smiled, "Yeah... where are the girls?"

"Walking down the aisle as we speak." Leo replied.

"Okay, let's go." Abbey nodded, hooking her arm in his. "I don't know how Jed managed to convince you to do this..."

"Me neither," Leo replied. "I feel like an old man."

Abbey laughed as the doors opened. 

~~~ 

Jed stood at the end of the make shift aisle. He looked up as the doors opened he inhaled deeply, mesmerized by his wife's beauty.

Abbey was dressed in a long, pearl colored, antique dress. The halter top style neckline was trimmed in lace an in pearls. There was an intricate design threading through the dress, accented by hundreds of little pearls. Her hair was pulled half way up and embedded in her hair were little, pearl colored flowers.

She looked stunning...

Leo and Abbey finally made their way down to Jed and Leo looked at his best friend and smiled. He handed Abbey's hand to Jed and then took his place in the front row, next to Toby.

Jed grasped Abbey's hand tightly and they both turned to face the man in front of them... Both ready to renew the vows they had taken so many years ago...

TBC...


	10. Funny Thing Is, The 10

The Funny Thing Is 

by: Rhiannon & AJ

 

The reception was just starting to pick up, and people were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Everyone was dancing, laughing, having a good time. But no one was having as good a time as the lovely bride and groom. Once they stepped out onto that dance floor, there was no breaking them apart. Well... almost...

"Chase Robert Bartlet!" Abbey proclaimed very loudly as she turned her attention to her mischievous two-year-old son that was drenched in punch. The sound of Abbey's voice caused Chase to jump, and Mathew, who was standing right next to his twin brother, just as soaked, to begin to cry.

Turning her head to her husband, Abbey said, "That one is your son, Josiah Bartlet!" Then she moved her way over, to pick up Mathew.

Jed gave out a loud sigh as he began his journey over to his son. Stopping just short of Chase, he cocked his head to the side to find his three daughters desperately trying to hold back their laughs.

"Pay up, Zoey." Jennifer said. "I told you it'd be the punch. I told you... we shook on it. I said, 'I bet Chase manages to dump out the punch.'" This bit of news increased Abbey's irritation.

"Jennifer Erin!" Abbey and Jenn's eyes caught each other for a brief moment, until Jenn moved her glance down to the ground.

As Jed brought his eyes back to his son... or where his son should have been, he began to panic. Looking around the room, trying to ignore all the laughs coming from their guests, Jed finally spotted the little monster, crawling underneath a table... but not just any table... this particular one held the cake on it.

Jed momentarily closed his eyes, as he heard his name called out. He turned around to see his wife, with a very upset look on her face, then, he turned back to where Chase had disappeared.

He was no longer hiding...

No, now he was out in the wide open, full of chocolate cake, and white frosting...

"Now both of you owe me." Elizabeth tried to speak quiet enough so that she wouldn't be overheard by her mother.

No such luck...

"I heard that, girls. And you are all going to pay." Abbey gave them a warning glance.

In an attempt to lighten her death sentence that was sure to come at the end of the day, Zoey stepped forward, "Here, Dad. Let me take him, I'll get him cleaned up."

"Thank you, Zoey. Thank you, thank you, thank you." Jed proclaimed, with the hint of exhaustion in his voice.

Once Zoey exited the room, with her twin brothers on each side of her, Jed began to call the small, intimate group of guests together. "Before Chase comes back and ruins something else, I'd like to make a speech." Jed took note of the people laughing, and paused, as he walked over to Abbey and placed an arm around her. For a very long moment of time, he glanced deeply into her eyes, forgetting everyone else in the room.

TBC...


	11. Funny Thing Is, The 11

The Funny Thing Is 

by: Rhiannon & AJ

 

Finally, Jed tore his eyes away from Abbey's and gazed out at the small crowd of people, his eyes resting briefly on Elizabeth and Jennifer. He smiled, "Almost forty years ago, I met a beautiful young woman. She took my breath away and I knew, at that moment, that I wanted to marry her. It took me six months to get a date with her... You might not believe this, but I proposed to her on the first date..."

"For some reason, Dad... that doesn't surprise me..." Jennifer remarked.

"Shut up," Jed returned. "Anyway, it took me three years to convince her... but I finally got her to marry me. And ever since then, she's been the one person in this world that I have loved to the point where I'm not sure I could love without her. And I know, without a doubt, that if it hadn't been for her... I'd still be an economics professor somewhere. She allowed me to follow my dreams... she encouraged me to follow my dreams. She's put up with my stupid stunts and my... occasional, overzealousness... She's put up with me and all my faults and I'm not sure anyone else but her would have."

"Lord know, it wasn't easy." Abbey responded.

Jed turned to her, "Please don't make me kill you on our wedding day Abbey."

"Okay."

"Thank you," Jed turned back to the crowd. "To make a long speech short-"

"Too late," Elizabeth spoke up.

"Jennifer!" Jed called out.

"What did I do?" Jennifer exclaimed.

"You're a bad influence on your sister." Jed told her. He saw her roll her eyes as he continued, "Anyway, thank you all for coming and witnessing this renewal for my beautiful wife and myself."

Abbey smiled as she Jed leaned over to her, "Love you, Abbey."

"Love you too," Abbey whispered back. "Well, I guess I should say something too. I'm not big on public speaking, so I'll make this short and sweet. It occurred to me several hours ago just how lucky I am. I have a healthy, happy family... filled with children and grandchildren that I love dearly... even if some of them seem to have a death wish."

Jennifer and Elizabeth shared an innocent look.

"And, most of all, I'm married to a man that I love with all my heart." Abbey continued. "That alone makes me the richest woman in the world. For the better part of my life I have loved and been loved by a man that ... defies reason sometimes. And, when he's not trying to change the course of democracy... he's busy being my best friend... my husband."

The room exploded in applause as Jed leaned down and placed a kiss on his wife's lips. Jennifer's voice broke through the noise, "Can I say something?"

"No!" replied her parents in unison.

Jennifer made a face, "Please?"

"Oh, all right." Jed replied.

"Thank you," Jennifer responded.

TBC....

 


	12. Funny Thing Is, The 12

The Funny Thing Is 

by: Rhiannon & AJ

 

"I-" Jennifer began, but was cut off by the entrance of Zoey, Mathew and Chase.

"Did we miss anything?" Zoey said as she walked in, holding Chase up by the suspender part of the overhauls that she changed him into, with one hand, and holding Mathew's hand in the other.

"Zoey! Don't hold your brother like that!" Abbey cried out, and Zoey immediately put Chase down.

"Mommy, Mommy!" Chase exclaimed as his feet touched the ground and he ran to Abbey.

"Sorry, but he kept running away from me. I had to do something." Zoey tried to explain.

"Excuse me, sister, dear. But you interrupted me when I was about to make a speech." Jennifer came behind Zoey and put her arms around her.

"Dang, I knew I should have waited another minute or two before returning." Zoey muttered to her sister.

"Ha ha ha, very funny. Now, as I was about to say. Mom, Dad, I know I've been goofing around all day, and I seem to keep digging a bigger grave for myself, but I'd like to take a minute and be serious." Jennifer stopped when she heard her two sisters begin to laugh. "That was not funny."

"Actually, yeah, it is. You? Being serious?" Elizabeth wasn't doing to good at hiding her laughs, but then, she wasn't trying to.

"I agree with her." Zoey said. "You? Serious? Those two words shouldn't be used in the same sentence."

"Okay, well, if you're done now? I will continue. I would first like to say that I still find it very, very strange that the two of you decided to renew your wedding vows, out in the middle of no where. But, I do think it is very romantic. I can only hope that when I get married, I have a husband half as romantic as the two of you are towards each other." Jennifer paused and glared at Toby for a moment. "I know I've complained a lot, about how the two of you act worse than teens, but truth be told, I couldn't be more happy." Jennifer moved over to her parents and gave them both a hug. "I love the two of you very much, and I wish you both happiness, today, and forever. Now, if my lovely, angelic sisters would care to say something, I will pass the floor on to them now."

Elizabeth and Zoey turned to face each other, and at the same time, they both pointed in the other's direction, and say, "You can."

Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth said, "Fine, I'll go first." Giving an evil look towards her youngest sister, she began. "Mom, Dad, you know I love you, and you know I think the world of you." Elizabeth turned her head to the side, to find Jennifer sticking her tongue out at her.

"If everyone would please act their age?" Elizabeth said as she fully turned towards Jennifer. Jennifer hurried and stuck her tongue back in her mouth and began to hum innocently.

"There are no two people in this world better suited for each other than you two. The love you share is very genuine, and very real. It has gotten you through the past 40 years together, and here's hoping it gets you through that many more, at least." Elizabeth came to a teary-eyed end as she gave a group hug to her parents.

Turning around to find Zoey, Elizabeth said, "Tag, you're it."

"Gee, thanks." Zoey said with a snazzy attitude. "Okay, here goes. Mom, Dad. Everything that Jenn and Elizabeth said goes for me too."

"How original." Jennifer said quietly. But she didn't say it quiet enough, for she soon found four eyes on her. Two of them belonging to Zoey, and the last two belonging to Abbey.

"I don't think the kind of love you two share could be found in anyone else. Although, I'm holding out for myself. That love has been tested with fire at many times, but some how, you always manage to rise above it. I love you both." Zoey said as she too, flung her arms around her parents.

"Me tawlk." Chase said as he tugged on Abbey's dress. Abbey bent down to pick up her little monster. "Me tawlk." He repeated himself.

"Okay, Chase, you can talk." She said as she gently kissed him on the cheek.

"I wuv you, Mommy." He said as he stuck his tongue out and licked Abbey's face.

Bringing Jed's hand up to her face, Abbey used it to wipe off the residue left on her, by her son. "I love you too, Chase. I love all of you." Abbey said as she motioned for a group hug.

Seeing the seven Bartlet's all tangled up in one big group hug, the guests, in perfect harmony, said, "Awe."

THE END


End file.
